I noticed alot of questions pretaining to wanting EFILive, but not sure how to proceed. I also noticed alot of questions on what EFILive is so i want to start this thread and hopefuly we(all you EFILive tuners)can help explain how to go about getting setup with EFILive and get you started either doing your own tuning or letting a perfessional tuner build your tunes for you!

What is EFILive?
It is the singular most powerful tuning software built to allow you to tune YOUR Duramax to YOUR specific needs and gaining you the performance you desire from your Duramax! You can decrease your HP or you can increase your HP. Anything from stock level of HP to 1000+HP with supporting mods. Along with that you can enhance your fuel economy quite nicely as well and make a better performing and a more efficient Duramax!

What are "Canned" tunes?
Any chip or programmer manufactured with tunes already stored in it is classed as a canned tune! Why is that? Because the manufacturer of that tune built it to work on your average joe's truck. I'm sure they had many hrs of dynoing and testing it on several trucks, but lets face it they designed it to suit the needs of most trucks. It wasnt designed to fit the need of your specific truck. Will it work and gain you performance and economy? YES most will do just that but some wont. So there are down sides to that also! Over all canned tunes work great for your average joe's truck and most guys are very pleased with performance and economy gains of the canned tunes, but the question is are you an average joe!

What is Custom tuning?
Custom tuning is when a tune is specificly built for YOUR truck! Either done yourself with EFILive or let a more experienced perfessional do it! Now just because you tune it with EFILive doesnt mean it is the BEST tune but its a custom all the same. True custom tuning is a tune that is built and tested until you are COMPLETELY happy with the results and the what your looking to do with your Duramax is accomplished(other mods may be needed also to accomplish your goal)! I'll let the perfessional tuners from this site add more on that subject! Yep you to Micheal!

How do I get Started?
First off, we have quite a few vendors from this site that do custom tuning and sell EFILive. The software will be the same price no matter where you go(thats the way its suppose to be)and most tuners will give 2 free tunes with it! Now you have another option. If you would rather not invest into the software but want the benefits you can buy a programmed ECM with custom tuning in it as well there again some EFILive dealers have that avalible and others dont so check with our vendors.

Who do I buy EFILive off of?
Well thats a topic thats debatable and in all truth I'm only adding this to help the guys with this question. Not to start a who builds better tunes war! My advice to you is IF your interested in EFILive, but your debating who you want to buy from, my suggestion would be call up the different tuners and ask them specific questions. Please dont waste their time with miniscule questions, they are busy guys also and there are more of you then them. So be respectful of their time. I would encourage to ask questions and base your buying desicion off of your experience! This technique I would strongly recommend if your buying the software and plan on doing your own tuning. You'll want a guy who is willing to answer questions with good solid answers and is willing to help. I know we have some of the best EFILive tuners on this site so feel free to ask questions and all have excellent customer service from what i hear!

What else does EFILive do?
Not only does it allow you to tune as said above, but it is one of the best data loggers on the market for our trucks. You can log and view many of your systems components and sensors. That assists in building correct tunes, and for diagnostics of your truck. The scan tool is imperative in creating tunes that work well. You have the ability to see exactly what the vehicle is doing and when. Black Box Logging is included as well. This allows the user to record data with the V2, instead of having to use the laptop. The V2 will also read and clear DTC's without being hooked to a computer. The scan tool function that is included with purchase is normally not even talked about, when alone the price you are paying for EFI live is well cheaper than most data loggers out there for our trucks, and its included!

Getting Started Doing Your Own Tuning
Again start by buying EFILive from the EFILive retailer of your choice. Now your ready for the big step in building your own tune! There are many EFILive turtorials, so take the time and read ALL of it! Dont cut corners. Do yourself a favor and learn right the first time! Ok you have your stock tune in front of you on your laptop and you want to start tuning. My suggestion is open another page with a custom tune and then start enhancing the stock tuning or whatever tune you want to enhance. Make small changes and test and continue that way until you become comfortable and know what your doing! Take baby steps. Most of what I just typed doesnt make sense to me either. I buy all my tunes from one of the best EFILive tuners out there and we have a deal setup that works awesome for me, so i dont build my own tunes but if you want to build your own tunes i would recommend doing it that way!

The Option to Not Purchase EFILive
This points out the laborious nature of the steps to enjoying your own tuning. It takes a long time, lots of study, and hundreds or thousands of hours of trials. So the option to NOT do this must be considered, and I suggest that is the category most people fall into. Don't get quickly swept up in reseller hype. There many competent tuners out there that offer Pre-tuned ECMs. It offers a "plug and play" approach to custom tunes.
Instead, you also have the option of having some of the best EFILive tuning available, without ever putting your hands on it, and that is called custom tuning. It costs less, and you reap the benefit of someone else's proficiency. It is also more warranty friendly, since your factory ECM never gets modified, instead you can receive another ECM.
You can have a 1000 hour tune with 2 hours of due diligence Q&A.

AutoCal
The AutoCal is another device recently added to the EFILive tuners' options for tune delivery. It is a hand-held device pre-loaded with with the respective tuner's work. It operates on the same concept as a "canned" tuner. Plug it into the OBD-II port, load up the desired tune(s) and away you go! No laptop needed. It also has DSP switch support & datalog capabilities for tune refinement through e-mail correspondence. This is most likely the best option if you have no desire to mess with the EFILive software, but still want the performance of custom tuning.

Thank You for your time!

Also for those that see typos feel free to correct them and add any info you see as a benefit.
Thanks
James

I would also like to add that the EFI Live V2 is a cable the will connect your included software from your laptop to your trucks on-board controllers (ECM/TCM).

Not only does it allow you to tune as said above, but it is one of the best data loggers on the market for our trucks. You can log and view many of your systems components and sensors. That assists in building correct tunes, and for diagnostics of your truck. The scan tool function that is included with purchase is normally not even talked about, when alone the price you are paying for EFI live is well cheaper than most data loggers out there for our trucks, and its included!

There is an important element missing here...the option to not purchase EFILive.

James points out the laborious nature of the steps to enjoying your own tuning. It takes a long time, lots of study, and hundreds or thousands of hours of trials. So the option to NOT do this must be considered, and I suggest that is the category most people fall into. Don't get quickly swept up in reseller hype. I am a reseller of EFILive, and don't feel everyone should have it, because for many, it just collects dust after you download your "complimentary" tune. That is a sad waste of money, and your specific needs are rarely tended to.

Instead, you also have the option of having some of the best EFILive tuning available, without ever putting your hands on it, and that is called custom tuning. It costs less, and you reap the benefit of someone else's proficiency. It is also more warranty friendly, since your factory ECM never gets modified, instead you can receive another ECM.

The part of this article I like the best is, "talk to the tuner". See if he can answer your questions comfortably. What's his background? How long has he been doing this, hours or years? How can he serve your needs, specifically...that is "custom" tuning.

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